1966 Chevy El Camino Rear Axle - CHP Step By Step Swappin' Sticks

Superior Axle Gets Us Rollin'

When it came time to upgrade the brakes on our project '66 El Camino, we hit a stumbling block. During a quick test fit with the 15-inch Vintage Wheelworks rollers after rotating the tires, we learned they weren't rotating true, which ultimately showed us that the axles were bent and needed to be replaced. Rather than a one-off or custom piece, we wanted something that would simply swap into place, and Superior Axle in Rancho Cucamonga, California, had the answer to our needs.

All we had to do was supply them with the year, body style, and rearend type, and from there they recommended a set of axles for our particular application. However, we didn't realize that the original rearend had been replaced with a later style 10-bolt, making the first set of axles we got a tad too short. We learned from our mistake, measured the old ones, and made sure we got the correct length the second time around.

How was the install? It's no joke: We literally swapped the axles in a couple of hours and quite honestly, it's almost criminal how easy the swap was. It only required minimal handtools and since we didn't have a bearing/sealer puller/installer, we rented that from our local parts store. Follow along as we show just how easy it is to remove the bent axles and slide in the new ones.

Quick NotesWhat We DidExchanged our bent axles

Bottom LineA couple hours will have you driving straight and you don't even need a lift